Cushion construction



March 16, 1965 J. G. HART CUSHION CONSTRUCTION Filed April 3. 1962 I! ll llllllll United States Patent 3,173,159 CUSHION CONSTRUCTION James G. Hart, Glencoe, Ill., assignor to Sealy, Incorporated, Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 3, 1962, Ser. No. 184,772 Claims. (Cl. 5-351) The present invention relates in general to cushions and mattresses and the like and deals more particularly with their construction.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved construction for a cushion or mat tress or the like.

It is another object to provide a new and improved construction for a quilted cushion or mattress or the like.

It is another object to provide a quilted cushion or mattress or like construction wherein the optimum characteristics of the quilting material are fully realized.

It is still another object to provide a quilted cushion or mattress or like construction wherein stretching or distending stresses normally developed in the quilting material are substantially eliminated.

It is yet another object to provide a quilted cushion or mattress or like construction which facilitates the elimination of inner tufting material normally utilized in support of the quilting material.

It is a further object to provide a new and improved arrangement for securing quilting material in a cushion or mattress or like construction.

The above and other objects are realized in accordance with the present invention by providing a new and improved quilted cushion or mattress or like construction. To facilitate and simplfy an understanding of the present invention, however, its features are hereinafter discussed solely in the context of a cushion construction. Nevertheless, it should be understood that the principles of the invention apply equally as well to the construction of mattresses and the like.

The invention contemplates the provision of a cushion covering including an unquilted inner panel and a quilted outer panel. The inner panel is adapted to absorb substantially all of the stresses normally developed in the plane of the panel rarangement when the cushion is subjected to load while the quilted outer panel floats in substantially unstressed relationship outside the inner panel. The inner and outer panels are secured together and incorporated in the cushion covering in a unique manner to assure these desirable results.

The invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, taken with further objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view, with parts broken away, of a portion of a cushion construction embodying the features of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged view, partially in section, taken along line 22 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a further enlarged sectional view of a portion of the quilted covering embodying the features of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIGURE 1, a corner of a cushion (or mattress or the like) construction embodying the features of the present invention is illustrated generally at 10. The cushion includes a conventional spring assembly 11 to which conventional base padding arrangements 12 (only one of which is shown) and corner padding arrangements 13 (only one of which is shown) are secured. It will be understood, of course, that the bottom half of the cushion 10 illustrated in FIGURE 1 is identical to that shown in the broken away portion, and consequently an identi- 3,173,159 Patented Mar. 16, 1965 cal base padding arrangement (not shown) is provided in association with the bottom of the spring assembly 11. Correspondingly, of course, corner padding arrangements (not shown) are provided at each of the other corners of the cushion 10. The padded spring assembly 11 is encased by a quilted cushion covering, seen generally at 15, embodying the features of the present in vention.

The quilted cushion covering 15 includes an upper panel arrangement 20 and a lower panel arrangement (not shown), identical in construction, secured to an encircling side panel arrangement 22. Since the upper and lower panel arrangements are identical in all respects, only the upper panel arrangement, as seen in FIGURE 1, is shown and described in detail; an understanding of the upper panel arrangement being suficient to afford an understanding of both.

The upper panel arrangement 20 includes a quilted outer panel 25 and a plain fabric inner panel 26, each of which is secured to the side panel arrangement 22 in a manner such that the major portion of the stresses developed in the upper panel arrangement 20 (in the plane of the upper panel arrangement) when the cushion 10 is subjected to load, are absorbed by the plain fabric inner panel 26 rather than the outer quilted panel 25. As a result, the outer quilted panel 25 is not distended and thinned out so as to lose a portion of its quilted characteristic. The quilted outer panel 25 floats on the plain fabric inner panel 26 and retains these optimum quilted characteristics or resilient qualities as they might be called, substantially throughout the life of the cushion 10. As one advantageous consequence, of course, it is not necessary to use a tufting material under the outer quilted panel 26 in order to preserve the quilted effect, such a tufting material normally being used in quilted cushion constructions presently utilized.

The quilted cushion covering 15 encases the spring assembly 11, as has been previously pointed out. Turning now to the construction of the spring assembly 11 itself, it includes a spaced pair of relatively heavy gauge border wires 30 (only the upper wire 30 being shown) interconnected by a plurality of hour-glass coil springs 31 arranged in rows in a predetermined and well known 'manner. The hour-glass coil springs 31 are in turn interconnected with each other.

Referring to both FIGURES 1 and 2, it will be seen that a helical connecting spring 35 surrounds the border wire 30 and encircles a portion of an appropriate coil 36 on each coil spring 31 as it extends around the periphery of the border wire 30. In this manner, of course, the outer row of coil springs 31 are securely connected to each border wire 30. A plurality of transversely extending helical connecting springs 40 (only one of which is shown) in turn interconnects appropriate coils 36 of the individual hour-glass coil springs 31 in the manner best seen in FIGURE 1.

The upper and lower base padding arrangements 12 and the corner padding arrangements 13 provide a butter between the spring assembly 11 and the cushion covering '15, in a well known manner. The corner padding arrangements 13 comprise appropriately sized pads of cotton batting which are folded around the corners of the spring assembly 11, as seen in FIGURE 1, to support the corresponding corners of the cushion covering 15. The cotton batting of the padding arrangements 13 is conventionally forced partially between the individual coils of the hour-glass coil springs situated at the corners of the spring assembly 11 by the pressure of the cushion covering 15 and securely retained in position in each of the four corners in this manner.

The base padding arrangements 12 (of which the lower base padding arrangement is not shown) on the other hand, overlie the flat upper and lower extremities of the coil springs 31 substantially in the plane of the border wires 30. They are identical to each other as well as being conventional in construction. Consequently, an illustration and description of the upper base padding arrangement 12 suflices to provide an understanding of both the upper and lower base padding arrangements.

Each base padding arrangement 12 includes a generally rectangular sheet 45 of burlap immediately overlying the ends of the hour-glass coil springs 31 in such a manner that the edges of the burlap terminate immediately adjacent corresponding portions of a border Wire 30. The burlap sheet 45 is secured to a border wire 30 at appropriate positions around the periphery of the wire 30 through the use of hog rings 50 in well known fashion. The burlap sheet 45 acts as a base for the bulk of a base padding arrangement 12. Immediately above the burlap sheet 45 and resting thereon, also in a conventional manner, is a sisal pad 55. The sisal pad 55 provides body for the padding arrangement 12 and is secured around its periphery to the border Wire 30 by hog rings 56 in much the same manner as the burlap sheet 45.

Overlying the sisal pad 55 and forming a major portion of a base padding arrangement 12 is a generally rectangular layer 60 of cotton batting. As will readily be seen in FIGURES 1 and 2, the dimensions of the layer 60 of cotton batting are great enough such that it depends from and around the border wires 30, as at 61. The cotton batting layer 60 is held firmly against the sisal pad 55 and the depending portions 61 thereof are forced inwardly against the outer row of hour-glass coil springs 31 by the upper panel arrangement 20.

As has also been pointed out, the upper panel arrangement 20 is connected to the conventional side panel arrangement 22 of the cushion covering 15 in such a man- .ner that the quilted outer panel 25 is not stressed to any substantial degree in the plane of the upper panel arrangement 20 while the inner panel 26 is subjected to substantially all of such stress. To this end, the inner panel 26 of the upper panel arrangement 20 includes an outwardly extending flap 65 and a downwardly extending flap 66 around its periphery. These flaps 65 and 66 might be formed in one piece with the inner panel 26. In the alternative, one of the flaps, 66 for example, might be sewed or otherwise attached to the panel a short distance from its periphery. In this case, of course, the flap 65 would actually be formed by the periphery of the plain fabric inner panel 26, as is shown. Another alternative might be to form both flaps 65 and 66 separately and sew or otherwise attach them to the periphery of the inner panel 26. It is important only, of course, that the flap and panel construction be sound and that a depending flap 66 be provided and an outwardly extending flap 65 also be provided.

The downwardly extending flap 66 is connected at appropriate positions to appropriate coils of the outer row of hour-glass coil springs 31, as seen in FIGURE 2, by hog rings 70, in a conventional manner, while the outwardly extending flap 65 joins with the periphery of the outer quilted panel 25 to connect with the upper periphery of the side panel arrangement 22. In this light, the side panel arrangement 22 might be of a double thickness, as shown, with conventional padding therein, or it-might be otherwise constructed.

The peripheries of the quilted outer panel 25 and the side panel arrangement 22 are joined with the periphery of the outwardly extending flap on the inner panel 26 by a folded strip of fabric tape 71 through which strong upholsterers thread 76 is sewn to form a high strength seam, as best seen in FIGURE 3. This seam follows the border wire 30 around both the upper and lower edges of the cushion 10.

As best seen in FIGURE 2, the dimensions of the inner panel are slightly lesser than the dimensions of the outer quilted panel 25. As a consequence, it will readily be seen ruptures; a highly unlikely circumstance.

that while the inner panel 26 is normally pulled taut, the outer panel 25, by virtue of its slightly larger size, is not pulled taut in the same manner and tends to float on the inner panel 26. This float is not a noticeable floating movement but is enough to prevent the quilted panel 25 from being distended and consequently compressed by being drawn taut from its outer periphery. Consequently, the inner panel 26 is subjected to a substantial portion of the stress to which the upper panel arrangement 20, for example, is itself subjected when the cushion 10 is under load. Stress of any substantial nature is not applied to the quilted outer panel 25 unless the inner panel 26 As a result, the conventional quilting layers and 81 of the quilted outer panel 25 are not compressed.

It will now be seen that a quilted cushion construction has been provided which realizes the full benefits of its quilted surfaces. This is due, of course, to the unique construction whereby the inner panel 26 and the quilted outer panel 25 of the upper panel arrangement 20 (and the lower panel arrangement which is not shown) are tightly secured around their peripheries to the side panel arrangement 22 in such a manner that little stretching or distending stress is developed in the quilted panel 25 when the cushion 10 is subjected to load. The quilted outer panel 25 rides snugly but firmly on the inner panel 26 and assures an attractive quilted surface which is not compressed by stretching.

As a result of constructing a cushion or mattress or the like in the manner hereinbefore described, wherein a relatively unstressed quilted outer panel is assured, the necessity for utilizing a tufting material under the quilting material is eliminated. In other words, where in the past it has been necessary to enhance the quilted appearance of the outer panel with an underlying layer of tufting material, the inherent characteristics of the quilted material are fully realized in the present invention and such tufting material made superfluous.

While an embodiment described herein is at present considered to be preferred, it is understood that various modifications and improvements may be made therein, and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications and improvements as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is desired to be claimed and secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A covering for enclosing resilient means to form an upholstered cushion or mattress or the like, comprising; panel means, a panel arrangement connected to said panel means and adapted to enclose the resilient means, said panel arrangement including a quilted outer panel and an inner panel, said panels having substantially co-extensive peripheral means securely joined to each other and to said panel means, said quilted outer panel having a surface area somewhat larger than said inner panel whereby stresses developed in said panel arrangement substantially in its own plane induce stress primarily in said inner panel.

2. A covering for encloing resilient means to form an upholstered cushion or mattress or the like wherein the resilient means has a padding arrangement seated on a substantially planar portion thereof, comprising; panel means, a panel arrangement overlying the padding arrangement and connected to said panel means so as to enclose the padding arrangement and the resilient means, said panel arrangement including a quilted outer panel and an inner panel, said panels being securely joined to each other and to said panel means around corresponding peripheries thereof, said quilted outer panel having a surface area which is somewhat larger than said inner panel whereby stresses developed in said panel arrangement substantially in its own plane induce stress primarily in said inner panel.

3. The covering of claim 2 further characterized by and including flap means depending from said inner panel adjacent the periphery thereof, said flap means adapted to be secured to the resilient means to hold the padding arrangement securely against the resilient means.

4. A new and improved cushion or mattress or like construction, comprising; resilient means, and cover means enclosing said resilient means, said cover means including a panel arrangement and side panel means, said panel arrangement having an inner panel and an outer quilted panel securely joined to each other and to said side panel means around corresponding peripheries thereof, said quilted outer panel having a surface area which is somewhat larger than said inner panel whereby stresses imparted to said panel arrangement substantially in its own plane induce stress primarily in said inner panel.

5. The construction of claim 4 further characterized by and including flap means secured to and depending from said inner panel adjacent the periphery thereof, said flap means secured to said resilient means over a depend- 5 ing periphery of said padding arrangement to secure said padding arrangement to said resilient means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,245,930 Marsack June 17, 1941 2,975,437 Freeman Mar. 21, 1961 2,978,715 Blecker Apr. 11, 1961 

1. A COVERING FOR ENCLOSING RESILIENT MEANS TO FORM AN UPHOLSTERED CUSHION OF MATTRESS OR THE LIKE, COMPRISING; PANEL MEANS, A PANEL ARRANGEMENT CONNECTED TO SAID PANEL MEANS AND ADAPTED TO ENCLOSE THE RESILIENT MEANS, SAID PANEL ARRANGEMENT INCLUDING A QUILTED OUTER PANEL AND AN INNER PANEL, SAID PANEL HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY CO-EXTENSIVE PERIPHERAL MEANS SECURELY JOINED TO EACH OTHER AND TO SAID PANEL MEANS, SAID QUILTED OUTER PANEL HAVING A SURFACE AREA SOMEWHAT LARGER THAN SAID INNER PANEL WHEREBY STRESSES DEVELOPED IN SAID PANEL ARRANGEMENT SUBSTANTIALLY IN ITS OWN PLANE INDUCE STRESS PRIMARILY IN SAID INNER PANEL. 